Revelation 22:19

Rev 22:19. Ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς πόλεως τὴς ἁγίας, τῶν γεγραμμένων, κ.τ.λ.) See App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this place.[251] The tree of life itself, and the holy city itself, are the first and the last (ch. 2. 3. 22), nay, even the sum of those distinguished privileges, the hope of which is given to the faithful in this book.

[251] AB Amiat. best MS. of Vulg. read τοῦ ξύλου. h Fuld. MS. of Vulg. and Rec. Text read βίβλον. Bh Vulg. and Rec. Text read ἐκ before τῆς πόλεως: so Tisch. A omits it: so Lachm. AB read τῶν γεγραμμένων: but Rec. Text prefixes καί, without good authority.—E.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

book--None of our manuscripts read this. A, B, Aleph, Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic read, "(take away his part, that is, portion) from the tree of life," that is, shall deprive him of participation in the tree of life.

and from the things--so Vulgate. But A, B, Aleph, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS omit "and"; then "which are written in this book" will refer to "the holy city and the tree of life." As in the beginning of this book (Rev 1:3) a blessing was promised to the devout, obedient student of it, so now at its close a curse is denounced against those who add to, or take from, it.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 19. If any man shall take away] If any man shall lessen this meaning, curtail the sense, explain away the spirit and design, of these prophecies, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, c. Thus Jesus Christ warns all those who consider this book to beware of indulging their own conjectures concerning it. I confess that this warning has its own powerful influence upon my mind, and has prevented me from indulging my own conjectures concerning its meaning, or of adopting the conjectures of others. These visions and threatenings are too delicate and awful a subject to trifle with, or even to treat in the most solemn manner, where the meaning is obscure. I must leave these things to time and event, the surest interpreters. No jot or tittle of Christ's word shall fall to the ground all shall have its fulfilment in due time.

This is termed a revelation, but it is a revelation of symbols; an exhibition of enigmas, to which no particular solution is given, and to which God alone can give the solution.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. out of the book of life] Read from the tree of life.

and from &c.] “and” should be omitted, the sense being, “from the Tree of Life, out of the Holy City, in short, from all the good things written &c.”

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if any man shall take away from the prophecy of this book,.... As he may be said to do, who denies the authority of this book, which has been done by some, and which the Holy Ghost foresaw; or takes it away from, or denies the reading of it to the people, as the Papists do with respect to the whole Scripture; and who wilfully pervert the sense of it, and will not have the things in it, relating to antichrist, to belong to him.

God shall take away his part out of the book of life; by which is meant eternal election, which is the meaning of the phrase throughout this book, in which whoever are written shall certainly be saved. The worshippers of the beast, or the antichristian party, who are chiefly regarded here, are not written in it, Rev 13:8 wherefore taking away the part of such, is only taking away that which they seemed to have; see Luk 8:18 and the sense is, that such shall be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death, and will be the portion of all that are not written in the book of life, Rev 20:15. The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, read, "the tree of life"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the sense is the same; see Joh 15:2 and out of the holy city; the new Jerusalem, before described, a part in which is a right to enter into it through the gates, and possess the glories of it: what is mentioned here is only a seeming one, which wicked men may flatter themselves with; and the meaning is, that such shall never enter into it, and enjoy the happiness of it, but shall ever be without, Rev 21:27

and from the things which are written in this book; the blessings promised to the overcomers in Rev 2:7 which such as detract from this book shall have no share in. The Alexandrian copy, with some others, and the Syriac version, leave out the copulative "and", and read "which are written", &c. connecting them with the book of life, and holy city, which are written, and spoken of, in this book. The Ethiopic version connects the words with the holy city, only reading them, "which is written", &c. The Jews say of their Talmud, that nothing is to be added to it, or diminished from it (o).

(o) Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 34. 1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Ver. 19. And if any man shall take away] Since every word of God is pure, precious, and profitable, Pro 30:5; 2Ti 3:16.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy - If he shall reject the book altogether; if he shall, in transcribing it, designedly strike any part of it out. It is conceivable that, from the remarkable nature of the communications made in this book, and the fact that they seemed to be unintelligible, John supposed there might be those who would be inclined to omit some portions as improbable, or that he apprehended that when the portions which describe antichrist were fulfilled in distant ages, those to whom those portions applied would be disposed to strike them from the sacred volume, or to corrupt them. He thought proper to guard against this by this solemn declaration of the consequence which would follow such an act. The whole book was to be received - with all its fearful truths - as a revelation from God; and however obscure it might seem, in due time it would be made plain; however faithfully it might depict a fearful apostasy, it was important, both to show the truth of divine inspiration and to save the church, that these disclosures should be in their native purity in the possession of the people of God.

God shall take away his part out of the book of life - Perhaps there is here an intimation that this would be most likely to be done by those who professed to be Christians, and who supposed that their names were in the book of life. In fact, most of the corruptions of the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have professed some form of Christianity. Infidels have but little interest in attempting such changes, and but little influence to make them received by the church. It is most convenient for them, as it is most agreeable to their feelings, to reject the Bible altogether. When it said here that “God would take away his part out of the book of life,” the meaning is not that his name had been written in that book, but that he would take away the part which he might have had, or which he professed to have in that book. Such corruption of the divine oracles would show that they had no true religion, and would be excluded from heaven. On the phrase “book of life,” see the notes on Rev 3:5.

And out of the holy city - Described in Rev. 21. He would not be permitted to enter that city; he would have no part among the redeemed.

And from the things which are written in this book - The promises that are made; the glories that are described.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Take away—Seeking to destroy the truth, or undermine its authority.

His part—Either in possession, or the part he would have had had he been true. As the Apocalypse is rich with all the truths of the New Testament, so no one can impugn its doctrines without impugning the Gospel; and to impugn the Gospel is to impugn his own salvation. John, as before said, is conscious that he is making New Testament; he is doubtless conscious that he is closing the canon. But we cannot quite say that he includes the whole canon under the safe-guard of these maledictions otherwise than by the scope of analogy. Note, Rev_5:14.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book; from the tree of life; i.e. that mentioned in ver. 2 and in ver. 14, where also the city is mentioned. Even from the things written in this book seems to be the real meaning of the last clause; not merely the tree and city which are written, etc. Just as the evils set forth in the Apocalypse are declared in ver. 18 to be the portion of those who add to the book, so those who take from the book are deprived of those blessings which have been constantly referred to in the book.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Inspiration: Summary. The testimony of the Bible to itself.

(1) The writers affirm, where they speak of the subject at all, they speak by direct divine authority.

(2) They invariably testify that the words, and not the ideas merely, are inspired. The most important passage is 1Co 2:7-15 which see.

(3) The whole attitude of Jesus Christ toward the Old Testament, as disclosed in His words, both before His death and after His resurrection, confirms its truth and divine origin, and He explicitly ascribes the Pentateuch to Moses.

(4) In promising subsequent revelations after the predicted advent of the Spirit Joh 16:12-15 our Lord prepared the way for the New Testament.

(5) The writers of the New Testament invariably treat the Old Testament as authoritative and inspired. (See Scofield "2Pe 1:19"). See Scofield "1Co 2:13".

life Eternal life, Summary of the teaching:

(1) The life is called "eternal" because it was from the eternity which is past unto the eternity which is to come--it is the life of God revealed in Jesus Christ, who is God Joh 1:4; Joh 5:26; 1Jn 1:1; 1Jn 1:2

(2) This life of God, which was revealed in Christ, is imparted in a new birth by the Holy Spirit, acting upon the word of God, to every believer on the Lord Jesus Christ Joh 3:3-15.

(3) The life thus imparted was from the beginning." But the recipient is a "new creation" 2Co 5:17; Gal 6:15.

(4) The life of God which is the believer is an unsevered part of the life which eternally was, and eternally is, in Christ Jesus--one life, in Him and in the believer--Vine and branches; Head and members 1Co 6:17; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27; Col 3:3; Col 3:4; 1Jn 5:11; 1Jn 5:12; Joh 15:1-5 1Co 12:12-14

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. If any man take from. This could be done by denying, or explaining away the words of prophecy. To do either is a deadly sin. Indeed, to tamper with the Divine word in any way is sinful.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

19. ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου … ἐκ τῆς πόλεως. His part is to be cut off from the Tree, cast out from the City.

τῶν γεγραμμένων. Is in apposition to both, includes them, but is hardly limited to them.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Book of Life. Read tou xulou the tree. So Rev.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.